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Posted on: February 11, 2008

Wallflowers Need Not Apply

Fruit, vegetable, flower or herb – vibrant colors, robust flavor and durability are hot traits in 2008's gardens

By Bev Bennett
CTW Features

A gardener’s dream – day lilies are easy to grow, accepting of lax care and drought tolerant. Image courtesy Paradise Garden Nursery/Oakes Daylilies

This year's hottest plants are all about vibrant color, according to Nona Koivula, executive director of All-America Selections.

Fragrant red carnations, deep lavender vinca cora and chocolate mint coleus, a non-flowering dark-leafed plant edged in mint green are some of the new varieties getting the nod from the Chicago area AAS, a non-profit organization that tests and introduces superior new flowers and vegetables grown from seed.

If you're thinking about what to plant this spring you'll be pleased to learn that breeders are offering good looks and more for your garden. These flowers and vegetables are resistant to disease, heat and drought, and you'll find the sturdy plants in both annuals and perennials to suit your gardening interests.

Vinca cora, an annual with an abundance of small flowers, isn't the delicate posy it once was.

"It's usually prone to disease. But this one has disease resistance," says Stephanie Turner, director of seed products for the Park Seed Company in Greenwood, S.C.

The vinca cora carried by Park Seed is also heat tolerant, according to Turner.

Salvia and petunias, also annuals offered in appealing colors, are good hot-weather choices as well, according to Koivula.

Heirloom tomatoes were prized for their robust flavor, not their ease of growing. Now, however, you can have a tomato with great flavor and durability. "It's called Country Taste. It's an heirloom type, with the taste and look of an heirloom, but the hybrid is less prone to problems," Turner says.

You may not have day lilies on your "to-plant" list, but Ken Oakes suggests giving them a try.

"They're easy to grow and very tolerant of lax care," says Oakes, who owns Oakes Daylilies & Paradise Garden Nursery in Corryton, Tenn. "Day lilies are also very drought tolerant; even last year, which was terrible -– they took it," he says. Oakes, who offers about 400 varieties of day lilies, suggests spacing them around the garden.

"They're great big flowers in different shapes and colors." Oakes also recommends adding ornamental grasses to the garden, especially if you're in an area that doesn't get much rain.

"Last year the Southeast was very dry. The ornamental grasses came through and looked great," he says.

From Giants to Minis

Even if your garden is limited to a tub on the patio, you have more options than ever for growing annual flowers and vegetables.

Container gardening is a strong trend and seed breeders are developing more plants suited to small spaces, say garden experts.

For example, in edibles look for miniature eggplant with finger-sized clusters of dark purple fruit, patio tomatoes and seed packets with a mix of popular herbs.

This season the Park Seed Company introduced the Mandevilla Sun Parasol, with small leaves and generous blooms, suitable for small spaces.

But if you want a big splash in a little space, try the new Gerber Giant Spinner, also from Park Seed.

"It's the Gerber on steroids," says Stephanie Turner, director of seed products for the Greenwood, S.C.-based store. The plant has double pink and white flowers that span five inches or more. You'll need a large container to grow the Gerber Giant Spinners.

"It's definitely worth it," says Turner.